To Play Again
by A. G. Moria
Summary: The old piano room of Arlong Park was dimly lit, the gentle moonlight streaming down in through the large window. The drapes hung lazily held by thinner velvet material, and gold trimming. The only other source of color in the room was Arlong himself. His Fishman coloring was acting like a drop of the ocean amongst the silvery pool bathing the room. Then there was Nami...


**I had to wonder to myself why I hadn't written a story like this earlier but I just figured it slipped my mind. Either way, it's on Fanfiction now, people, and here to stay. So sit back, relax and enjoy the story.**

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The old piano room of Arlong Park was dimly lit, the gentle moonlight streaming down in through the large window. The drapes hung lazily held by thinner velvet material, and gold trimming. The only other source of color in the room was Arlong himself. His Fishman coloring was acting like a drop of the ocean amongst the silvery pool bathing the room. Then there was Nami, who stood at the doorway to the room, surprised to hear that anyone here was playing the old piano.

Before Arlong was a beautiful piano. The smooth wood was as bright and enchanting as when she first saw it when she was brought here as a child. However she had not played it in years, she and Arlong would play the instrument together when she was small, but she started to move farther away from him as she grew into her teenage self. Nami was brought back to reality when she saw Arlong's ocean blue eyes, upon her figure.

Startled she said in a cold voice, "What are you smirking at"?

Arlong released a small chuckle, his shark-like grin was tempting to smack thought Nami. He bowed his head, his hair moved up to cover up some of his face and his eyes became shadows, he said to her in what seemed to be a sincere voice, "I just wondered how long you were going to stand there, Nami. Wouldn't you like to come and sit down next to me"?

Nami made no move towards him; she just bored into him with her icicle gaze. Nodding, Arlong returned to the piano, gently caressing the keys he took a deep breath and began. The deep notes and his elegant hands flowed perfectly; the music rippled through the room Arlong's webbed hands intertwining with the heavier notes, giving the music a dark and tainted undertone. Nami recognized the song as the one she and he used to play when she was small, but it now sounded more like a lament. Not the one they used to play side by side.

Walking over to him she said furiously, "Arlong. Why are you playing it differently"?

Arlong's mouth curled into a smile revealing his sharp teeth, Nami frowned.

He said playfully to her, "You know, you shouldn't interrupt a pianist while he plays. It's just good manners after all, Nami".

Hearing the edge in his voice, Nami sat down next to the Fishman. Arlong looked down at the orange haired woman, winking he continued his lament. Nami continued to watch as his delicate webbed fingers moved along the keys, she marveled at how his timing and beat were perfect.

"_He's must've practiced the piano since he was little,"_ She thought to herself.

Arlong then moved his left hand over and stopped playing the lighter notes; he motioned to his little navigator. She looked down at the snow white keys and touching the smoothness of it she yearned to play once more. Arlong smiled down at her. Nami looked up and gave him a confident smirk. She tapped one of the keys experimentally before playing in sync with Arlong. Her song was of lighter happier gesture, Arlong returned to his lamenting, sorrow etched over the many tragedies he's had to live through, namely his big brother's death. Nami, for those short few years she was happy when she was a child with her adopted mother and sister.

The music flowed throughout the entire room. At first two separate entities, before both stories merged together. When the music had eventually faded and they both sat alone in their own thoughts. The moonlight passed over the two, Arlong looked down at Nami, she kept her head facing a different direction, Arlong's grin was gone, his face was serious he said to his navigator.

"Would you maybe want to play our little song again sometime"?

Nami turned her head sharply; she eyed the Fishman with distaste.

"No. Not again. Never again…" He figured her thoughts went to her dead mother and that just reminded her of her reason to hate and barely trust him. Quite a shame really thought Arlong.

Arlong's face broke into a tiny smile, if only to try and comfort her, and he said to her simply, "Then it has been an excellent evening with you".

Standing to unveil his true height, he went to Nami and took her hand in his own, he said. "Goodnight, Miss Nami".

Kissing her hand softly he swept out of the room. He paused at the door and looked back at her. He wanted to engrave the way she looked right now so deep into his mind that maybe she'd join him in his dreams tonight. By the way she was looking at him; it seemed as if she had the same idea too. Too bad it'd take forever for Nami to say what she felt though.

With that he left, leaving his little navigator to her own wandering thoughts.

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**The End.**


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